Growing Up Together
by aTaCo9
Summary: Twelve drabbles about Mako and Bolin growing up together. These follow the brothers from the time they are six/eight until the time they are 17/19. Mostly fluff, but some violence and implied adult situations. Some of these are taken from my longer story "Blurred Boundaries."
1. Chapter 1

1: Just Like Mom

Mako was eight and Bolin was six and they had been evicted from their home just three nights prior. Bolin was lying on a park bench and Mako was on his knees in the grass, trying to get him to settle down and go to sleep. Mako had covered him with their blanket and was playing a game their late mother had reserved for Bolin at bedtime. She called it "Kiss the baby!" and it involved naming body parts and pressing her lips to them chastely.

 _Cheek...kiss..._

 _chin...kiss..._

 _shoulder...kiss..._

 _elbow...kiss..._

 _knee...kiss..._

 _foot...kiss..._

 _toe...kiss..._

As Mako kissed his toe Bolin burst into a fit of giggles, and it was endearing and adorable and so, so sweet. The corners of Mako's mouth twisted upwards and suddenly he was smiling for the first time since he had lost his parents.


	2. Chapter 2

2: At His Wit's End

Mako was nine and Bolin was seven and they had been living in an old, derelict building for almost three months. It was freezing cold outside, snowing and gusting, and Bolin was sobbing with fright and hunger. Mako was trying to keep focused on the fire he was generating so that they wouldn't freeze to death, but he was so incredibly tired, his arm hurt from the constant bending, and all he wanted to do was sleep. Bolin just wouldn't stop crying and whining, it was _MakoMakoMakoMako_ constantly. Mako turned and bellowed at him to _SHUT THE FUCK UP_ , using the grown-up swear for the first time, and two involuntary fireballs burst from his fists.

He doubted he would ever forget Bolin's expression of terror as he immediately shut his mouth and scooted backwards as fast as his pudgy little legs would allow.


	3. Chapter 3

3: Night Terrors 

Mako was ten and Bolin was eight and it was a stifling summer night in Republic City. Hot and sweaty, Mako was unable to fall asleep even though he had already extricated from his little brother's grasp and scooted as far away from him as their small shared mat would allow. All of a sudden Bolin was whimpering and tossing in his sleep in the midst of a nightmare. Mako debated as to whether or not he should wake him up; it would probably be fine, he really was getting too old to bend involuntarily like he sometimes had when he was younger.

Without warning Mako was toppled into the center of their mattress as an enormous wall of earth was raised around them. He cried out as a fragment of rock shrapnel hit the inside of his wrist, hard, and Bolin awoke with a start. Mako was swearing and bleeding, and Bolin was crying, and Mako didn't know it yet but he would have a scar on his arm for years to come.


	4. Chapter 4

4: Birthday Gifts

Mako was nearly eleven and today was Bolin's ninth birthday. It was a warm evening in early June and, lately, life had been going well for the brothers. Mako had become quite adept at pickpocketing and had managed to snag a wallet with a hundred yuans just a few days prior. The boys had been gorging on noodles and dumplings, and it felt wonderful to have a full belly and money in his pocket.

After dinner Mako presented Bolin with a small slice of cake, and was thrilled to see his brother's expression of pure joy. Bo was such a good-natured child; it took very little to delight him. After he was done with the cake—which Bolin had insisted on sharing even though Mako protested—Mako took out the gift he had been looking forward to giving his little brother all day.

It was a new shirt and sash, emerald green to match his eyes, and it was soft and clean and comfortable. Bolin ran straight into his chest, eyes wet and voicing his repeated thanks, and after a moment Mako wrapped his arms around his back.


	5. Chapter 5

5: A Daring Escape

Mako was twelve and Bolin was only ten and they were being chased through a seedy district of the city. It was a dark night in the fall, and the crisp air stung his throat as he ran. He must have taken a wrong turn because suddenly the brothers were trapped in a dead end and there was nowhere left to go.

Their mugger was grinning manically, holding a giant fireball at the ready. Mako took his customary place in front of Bolin, putting up his left fist to fight and bending an impressive ball of flames with his right. The face of their attacker glinted by the light of the blaze, and all of a sudden Mako was struck by panic. The echo of his mother's screams right before her and his father were killed sounded in his head, and he couldn't move or breathe. His flame went out with a tiny popping sound. Their attacker was getting closer and closer and was almost upon them…

Suddenly a pillar of earth launched the brothers two stories upwards, and a mound of clay roof tiles reshaped under their feet midair, lowering them onto the top of a nearby building. Their attacker was gone and they were safe; Mako looked at Bolin in awe.


	6. Chapter 6

6: Learning to Read

Mako was thirteen and Bolin was eleven, and Mako was helping him read the front page of yesterday's newspaper. The article was about the new avatar, a young girl from the Southern Water Tribe named Korra. She had just passed her earthbending test—her second element to be mastered—at the incredibly young age of twelve.

Bolin was having trouble with some of the more complex characters. One of them contained two words that Bolin already knew: _strong_ and _brave_ , but he was struggling to understand their combined meaning. Mako asked the earthbender leading questions, eventually getting him to produce the correct definition: _courageous._

Mako pretended not to notice that night when Bolin drew the character onto his back with his finger again and again.


	7. Chapter 7

7: Outmaneuvered

Mako was thirteen, almost fourteen, and Bolin had just turned twelve. He had been out taking bets for the Triple Threats, but he just couldn't bring himself to let Bolin accompany him—not yet, because he was too young, even though Mako had only been ten when he had started this line of work. It had just become dark when Mako found himself cornered in a dark ally by a posse of rival gang members. He fought valiantly, but they outmaneuvered him, grabbing and pinning him. Two of them forced his arms out from his sides while one of the bigger ones hit and punched him over and over and over again, his face, his chest, his stomach.

When it was over he lay in the street and wished for unconsciousness, or better yet death; but then he remembered that Bolin was waiting, hungry and probably frightened that he hadn't yet returned. In agony he dragged himself back to his brother but there was blood everywhere and when Bolin saw him he screamed and screamed.


	8. Chapter 8

8: Awkward Encounters

Mako was fifteen and Bolin was thirteen, and his brother's jerking movements had awoken him. Mako opened his eyes, about to ask if something was wrong, but suddenly Bolin was moaning and Mako realized what was happening. Blushing furiously, he shut his eyes again but he couldn't move away without Bolin realizing he was awake. With a cry Bolin came and Mako felt absolutely mortified; he didn't think he'd ever be able to look his little brother in the eye again.

It seemed to take forever for him to clean up, and Mako had to call upon all of his restraint and self-discipline not to pull away when Bolin pressed himself against his back.


	9. Chapter 9

9: Irresponsible Decisions

Mako was sixteen and Bolin was barely fourteen and the elder of the two was furious. It was two in morning and both he and Bolin had to be up early to complete their chores in the gym before their bending lessons. Bolin had gone out with some friends around eight, and had promised he would return before twelve.

With a crash the front door burst open and Bolin stumbled through. Almost immediately the young earthbender tripped over his own shoes and fell to the ground with a loud _thud_. Bolin started giggling and Mako felt his anger intensify.

Bolin was drunk.

Clenching his jaw in fury, Mako helped his younger brother stagger to their shared bedroom. The firebender peeled away his brother's shoes, sash, and outer shirt while Bolin leaned back on his cot, squirming, laughing, and sorely tempting Mako to slap him across his ruddy cheekbone. Hard.

Instead, Mako sighed when Bolin jerked forward and vomited directly into his lap.


	10. Chapter 10

10: Awkward Encounters II

Mako was seventeen and Bolin was fifteen, and the young earthbender was dating a brown-eyed girl who lived down the street from the arena. Mako was exhausted after a long day of working at the power plant, and was planning on eating dinner and going straight to bed.

The firebender entered the brothers' shared apartment and dropped a bag of fresh dumplings on their table. When he didn't see Bolin in their living quarters he figured he was likely napping, and entered their bedroom to wake him.

There was a sudden flurry of naked flesh and flying limbs, and a high-pitched scream that couldn't have possibly come from the young earthbender. Mako stood dumbly, not processing the scene in front of him until Bolin squawked at him to _get out, what the hell Mako? Don't you know how to knock?!_

Mako exited the apartment as fast as he possibly could.


	11. Chapter 11

11: "Sometimes I Cry Myself to Sleep"

Mako was eighteen and Bolin was sixteen and their probending team had just won their match against the Buzzard Wasps. Korra had set Bolin's shoulder, which had been dislocated in the match, and had temporarily soothed his pain with her healing water. Mako put an arm around his brother's good side and helped him up the many stairs to their small apartment.

Sometime in the night Mako awoke to the sound of quiet crying. Opening his eyes fully, he debated as to whether or not he should acknowledge Bolin's sounds of distress. Finally his protective feelings won out, and he crossed the small room to his younger brother's cot.

Mako pushed at Bolin gently and he rolled onto his good side, making room for his elder brother. The firebender began to rub his back in small circles as he had when Bolin needed comforting as a child. Eventually Bolin's sobs quieted and his breathing steadied.

It was a long time before Mako fell into a restless slumber.


	12. Chapter 12

12: Calmed

Mako was nineteen and Bolin was seventeen and Mako absolutely did not want to be a part of the airbending recruitment skit. They had been practicing for over an hour and he was feeling nauseous from bobbing around the air like a cork in water. Korra had just lifted him up again, but she turned to laugh at something Asami said and her concentration waivered. Mako fell to the floor with a loud _THUD_.

Rubbing his right arm and scowling, Mako picked himself up off of the ground and turned around to exit the room, ignoring the laughter and apologies of his friends. Mako stalked down the hall, limping slightly, and slammed the door of his room behind him.

He lay down on his bed, facing away from the entrance and didn't react when he heard the handle turn. He felt someone approach him and an earthy scent altered him that it was his brother. Bolin didn't say anything, but sat down onto the end of his bed near his feet. When Mako didn't object he leaned backwards until he was prostrate, craning his head upwards to look at him.

Mako looked down at Bolin, and the two made eye contact. Bolin smiled and began to speak, thanking him profusely again and again for agreeing to be in the sketch.

Mako made no reply, but his anger had dissipated. Eventually he quirked one corner of his mouth upward, and the resultant grin that Bolin flashed him was near blinding. Mako felt a rush of affection for his younger brother even as he got up to follow him back to the others.


End file.
